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After years of relentless campaigning and advocacy by members of OUR Walmart along with their allies in the UFCW and labor, faith, and progressive communities, Walmart has announced two major policy shifts. One will allow workers to get more hours when they want them, another will ensure that pregnant women are given some basic accommodations that will help them keep their jobs and provide for their families.
Since the group’s inception, OUR Walmart members have spoken out about the need for access to full-time work, and the struggles of being scheduled for fewer hours than they need to get by. At the same time, as a result of chronic understaffing in stores, there have been reports of empty shelves and lower customer satisfaction. Most recently, OUR Walmart sent delegations to dozens of store managers across the country, and members launched a national petition calling for access to full time work. In Laurel, Md., OUR Walmart members stood together and got their manager to post open shifts in order to give more access to hours to part-time employees.
Walmart workers from across the country kept the pressure on for more shift access in stores. They went on strike to protest Walmart’s attempts to silence them when they spoke up against about inconsistent scheduling, insufficient hours, and low wages. Shortly after their Black Friday actions, Walmart announced it would increase transparency in scheduling, but few stores saw these promised changes take effect.
With the support and the signatures of thousands of Walmart workers and community members, Walmart workers held delegations at stores around the country last month. Walmart responded by posting important changes to its scheduling policy that will allow workers to get more access to the hours they need to support their families.
Walmart also recently altered its policy to accommodate pregnant employees. Under pressure from mothers working in their stores and women’s groups with the “Respect the Bump” campaign, the retail giant reworked its policy so that women with pregnancy-related complications could be considered temporarily disabled and be eligible for reasonable accommodation. While this policy does not go far enough to provide reasonable accommodations regarding physical demands for all pregnant women, it is a step forward in protecting the jobs and health of the most vulnerable pregnant women and their babies.
For decades, Walmart has been lowering the standards for retail workers. These two victories are an important step toward improving jobs at Walmart and ending the erosion of retail jobs across the industry. The victory shows that by standing together, workers can make change even at the largest private employer in the world.
To read stories about the workers’ victory, please visit the
Making Change at Walmart Facebook Page:


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They will rock 2009
Kirti Mehta looks at three designers and three models who are all set to take the industry by storm...fashion and trends Updated: Jan 10, 2009 18:29 IST
Designers and models who will make it to the big league...
These are the faces of fashion in the years to come. Kirti Mehta looks at three designers and three models who
are all set to take the industry by storm
Top three designers
The young designer was recently voted the MTV youth icon of the year in the fashion segment. He has always worked with the handlooms of India — whether it is the Kerala cottons or the silks from Bhagalpur.
The last fashion week saw him presenting rich handlooms of Madhya Pradesh, for which he won accolades.
Nitin Bal Chauhan
Last year, he was at the London, Paris and Japan fashion week and at the Tranoi fair. Interestingly, this designer turned down a scholarship in fashion designing from the Domus Academy to disappear into the hills of Himachal.
Two years later, in 2007, he surfaced with his collection in Lakme fashion week. He won the gen next fashion award at the week and then there was no looking back.
The Italian design journal, Creativita Collezzioni, has featured Gaurav Gupta amongst leading designers worldwide, likely to set global fashion trends in the coming years.
Gaurav received the Future of couture title at the Rome couture fashion week, Breakthrough designer of the year at MTV Lycra awards in 2006.
He also showcased his collection at Tranoi fair in Paris, in 2008.
Bangalore girl Lakshmi Menon is ranked 33 in the Top 50 Models list in international web portal models.com.
She has to her credit international campaigns for Givenchy, Max Mara, Banana Republic, Hermès and very recently, Stella McCartney. The lady has also walked for international ramps in Paris, Milan, London and New York.
Moni, as she is popularly known in modelling circles, began modelling at the age of 21, in 2004. The same year, she bagged one of the top five spots in the French Metropolitan agency’s 2003 top model contest.
Moni today is a perma-fixture on the Indian and international ramps. An IMG model, she has walked the ramp for Australia and Paris fashion weeks.
The lady has walked the ramp for many international names around the world including the grand old dame of fashion — Vivienne Westwood.
She is the face of Lakme and has walked the ramp for major Indian designers.
An international consumer brand signed her for an ad campaign making her the first Indian model to be featured in the brand’s ad known to only feature foreign models.
Some other models to look out for in this year are — Diana Penty, who replaced Deepika Padukone as the brand ambassador of an international cosmetics brand and Lisa Haydon.

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Written by Joe Warminsky
Jan 18, 2022 | CYBERSCOOP
QR codes are among the few “winners” of the coronavirus pandemic, the joke goes, because restaurants and other businesses have deployed them in far greater numbers over the past few years, in an effort to make more interactions contactless.
The FBI is warning, however, that scammers love them, too.
The bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), issued a general alert Tuesday about “malicious” QR codes that reroute unsuspecting consumers to the world of cybercrime.
“[C]ybercriminals are taking advantage of this technology by directing QR code scans to malicious sites to steal victim data, embedding malware to gain access to the victim’s device, and redirecting payment for cybercriminal use,” the announcement says.
The FBI’s warning is the latest in a long string of advisories from cybersecurity researchers or government agencies about the threat posed by QR codes. Last week, Ars Technica reported on fake QR codes that were stuck on parking meters in Texas cities, with the goal of intercepting payments.


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US social media platform Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is reportedly in discussions to buy cross-platform mobile messaging application Whatsapp, Techcrunch said on Monday, citing sources in the know.
The deal would allow Facebook to strengthen its relations with mobile users given the technology’s increasing adoption among people. Adding Whatsapp to its portfolio of companies will also complement Facebook’s aim to expand its geographic presence by taking advantage of the messaging apps’ use in a broad number of countries where consumers use 750 mobile networks.
According to Techcrunch data, the app is used by 100m people on a daily basis. Whatsapp estimates from October 2011 show that a total 1bn messages are sent through its channels everyday.
Whatsapp is currently the second most popular paid app in Apple’s App Store in the US, where it is sold at a price of USD0.99 (EUR0.759). On Google’s Play Android store it could be downloaded for free in the first year and then requiring an annual payment of USD0.99. Google data suggests that so far between 100m and 500m Android users have downloaded the app.
Both Facebook and the Whatsapp founders were not immediately available to comment on the report.


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Neteller and Skrill payments limited for Norwegian market
Online payment gateways and e-wallets have began to become increasingly popular with the internet gambling industry throughout the last several years and are noted for his or her simplicity and fast processing times, particularly when it concerns making withdrawals.
Two of the most popular ones before decade, Neteller and Skrill have gained a significant amount of traction in a number of countries, especially across Europe and, consequently, it has seen gambling operators in these regions witness a surge in registrations. Simple transaction is of high importance for players at on the web casinos and both of these two internet payment gateways have played an essential role.
It's especially been the case in Norway, where on line gambling regulation is amongst the strictest in Europe, with new casinos needing to comply with rigorous legislation and are in complete compliance with the country’s penal code.
In the most recent move though, it is often that both Neteller and Skrill will never be open to Norwegian players any further which will be being seen as a major blow for the market. The fact that both Neteller and Skrill provide 128-bit SSL encryption technology for player’s funds made them a popular choice because of the secure amount of protection that was involved.
It is news that comes as a big blow to the Norwegian online gambling market, with these two payment methods being up there with the most popular because of the benefits that they offered.
While there has been no official reason given for the two payment providers no longer servicing the online gambling market in Norway, it can provide a degree of speculation.
Players in Norway who choose to on line payment gateways, will still be able to use ecoPayz, at least for now, though as on the web gambling legislation becomes increasingly tighter across a lot of the western world, there exists a lot of intrigue in regards to what may happen next.
Could this affect the rest of the industry?
There is no doubt that gambling regulations in Norway are tight although it remains to be seen whether it absolutely was officialdom that was behind this outcome, it could well set into motion a domino affect in many markets.
Norwegian players have now been in a position to manage to get thier remaining funds out of their Neteller and Skrill on the web gambling accounts and, as a result, a deadline was provided to them with a lot of notice.
The concerns that both these companies will likely have is that gambling regulators far away decide to follow suit (if indeed it absolutely was the Norwegian Gambling Authority have been behind this), which may be a significant blow for operators in countries where in fact the most of their players use these payment providers.
With a considerable clampdown in any payment methods which have risks mounted on them for possible criminal activity such as money laundering, chances are a number of payment methods in this industry should come under future scrutiny.
One particular payment method in the market that is rising is cryptocurrency and for that reason, numerous on the web operators have started initially to offer players this as an alternative, due to the fact that it is a decentralized industry and not regulated by any government authority.
But players far and wide in the internet gambling industry will no doubt be keeping an eye on what regulators might do next and possible, further limitations that would be positioned on their capability to enjoy gambling on the web to their usual quantities of satisfaction.
Written for tobjl.info by Adiela de Bruyn on 04-03-2021


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SINCE THE start of the year, businesses and individuals in the UK have reported a total of 14,883 instances of cyber crime episodes, with financial losses of £5.7 million being the end result. Despite 90% of the offences involved focusing on members of the general public, UK businesses themselves have reported losses of circa £1.9 million.
A new study* recently conducted by click fraud prevention expert PPC Shield indicates that malicious hacking, the fraudulent use of social media accounts and e-mail scams have been the most common form of methods used to transact cyber crime so far this year, accounting for 43% of all reported incidents since the beginning of January. Also in the high-ranking categories are reports of malware/viruses, personal hacking and extortion.
Data compiled from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau indicates that individuals under 40 years of age – 5,000 of them, in fact – have reported the most cyber incidents this year. This suggests that the scammers and hackers are predominantly targeting the younger, more ‘tech-savvy’ generation. In short, those individuals who are well versed in juggling multiple social media accounts, e-mail addresses and banking apps.
Though acts of cyber crime perpetrated against corporate bodies only account for circa 10% of the UK’s total number of reported cyber offences, the resulting financial losses in the region of £1.9 million account for one third of the overall figure.
Focusing on the impact exacted on the victims of cyber crime, Office for National Statistics data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales indicates that 72% of those individuals impacted by cyber crime expressed the view that they had been emotionally affected by their experiences, with almost one third of survey respondents highlighting a moderate-to-severe impact (predominantly centred on feelings of annoyance and anger).
One-in-ten individuals have experienced emotions such as anxiety, depression or fear as the direct result of having been on the receiving end of cyber criminality. Others have found it difficult to sleep.
Malware and phishing
Despite the personal nature of certain cyber crimes, it emerges that 81% of offences this year have been committed by an individual (as opposed to a group) that wasn’t known to the victim.
In terms of the methods used to commit cyber criminality, the deployment of malware (ie software designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client or network) is currently at its lowest point since 2007. That’s according to Google’s Transparency Report. In contrast, phishing websites (which seek to gain private passwords, credit card numbers and other private information from unsuspecting individuals without the use of applications) have witnessed an increase in traffic of more than 750% since 2007.
In all cases of cyber crime that resulted in financial loss, one-in-three individuals discovered the offences being perpetrated by way of communications from their bank, building society or another form of financial institution.
Including non-cyber assisted fraud, the UK has logged 253,736 reports of fraud and cyber criminality in 2021 that equate to total financial losses of a staggering £1.2 billion.
Lord James Bethell (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care) has commented on the rise of phishing scams conducted over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increase in fraudulent texts and calls to mobile phones.
It appears that criminal individuals have been posing as bank employees, representatives of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and even the NHS (in terms of the latter to attempt charging for fake COVID tests and Track and Trace solutions).
Commenting on the figures involved, a spokesperson for PPC Shield commented: “With the Internet now such an essential part of our daily lives, taking care online and using robust security measures is of the utmost importance. Always be aware of what you’re clicking on and be very wary of phishing sites as well as e-mails sent from companies or individuals with whom you’re not familiar.”
*Data compiled from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, the Office for National Statistics and Google’s Transparency Report
**PPC Shield enables brands and businesses to optimise their online advertising campaigns by filtering out and blocking fraudulent clicks in a determined bid to ensure a given advertising budget isn’t wasted. Further information is available online at www.ppcshield.io


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- Tata Motors Group (including JLR) Q4 Fiscal 2021/22 results call on Thursday 12 May (at 2pm UK time)
- JLR standalone Q4 Fiscal 2021/22 results call on Thursday 12 May (at 4pm UK time)
Jaguar Land Rover Automotive plc (“JLR”) and its parent company Tata Motors Limited (“TML”) will be releasing results for the quarter ended 31 March 2022 on Thursday 12 May.
TML will be holding an investor call from 2pm BST (UK time) on Thursday 12 May with a presentation on the TML Group results (including JLR results) for the quarter ended 31 March 2022, followed by a Q&A session.
JLR investors are welcome to join the TML call and to participate in the Q&A.
Jaguar Land Rover Automotive plc will also hold a separate conference call on JLR results on Thursday 12 May at 4pm BST (UK time) for JLR bondholders and banks more specifically interested in JLR.
Details of how to join the TML and JLR investor calls will be uploaded here in the week commencing 2 May.


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By @. Latest guest post from Misys.com (see also last week’s piece on ‘HOW AUGMENTED REALITY IS MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT IN MODERN BANKING‘). See more here from MisysFS ,aiming to to transform the global financial services industry, through making financial institutions more resilient, efficient and competitive.
Malware capable of stealing mobile banking passwords and sensitive data has been detected on Android smartphones in Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey. Is this a setback big enough to spell the end of the mobile banking revolution? What can you do if you think your phone may have been affected?
After Apple first began to change the way many of us interact with brands and institutions thanks to their iPhone and its App Store, it was perhaps only a matter of time before the banking industry -eager to reduce costs without reducing the number of customers- took note.
Somewhat inevitably, the first apps launched by retail banking chains weren’t far behind, replacing the somewhat cumbersome and not altogether user friendly approach of using push and pull SMS messages that were such a formidable part of mobile banking’s infancy.
For the most part, these apps were met with much acclaim; finally, retail banking customers had a simple, well-designed user interface that they could put to work in managing their money on the go. Yet for every word of praise, there were as many naysayers who predicted that an individual keeping their financial and security information stored on a smartphone would only serve as a green light for cybercriminals to do their worst.
The banking software specialists argued that yes, the threats were real, but so too were the solutions they were creating –and that retail banks were investing heavily in– to keep customers’ and their data safe.
For the longest time, this worked well. Despite scammers repeatedly coming up with more and more sophisticated ways to hack into mobile banking apps, the industry security experts were more or less always ahead of them.
Until just recently.
Back in March, experts at Internet security firm ESET discovered malware (malicious software used specifically to gain access to, or otherwise damage, a computer device such as smartphone) which is capable of stealing users’ mobile banking passwords, and even bypassing two-factor authentication, the ultimate gatekeeper in the online security world.
How it works
The virus makes its way onto a user’s Android phone (iPhone and other smartphone users are unaffected) through the Flash Player video application either via an infected website or a text message. Once installed, the rogue app requests administrator rights to the phone and, if granted, then places a fake login screen in any mobile banking apps that may be installed.
When a customer goes to use that app, they unwittingly enter their passwords into that fake login screen, ultimately sending them straight into the arms of criminals, who can use that data to access bank accounts and transfer money.
According to ESET, the malware can even intercept text messages sent by banks as part of greater security checks. Issuing a statement about their discovery, Lukas Stefanko, the company’s malware researcher, told the media that ““This allows SMS-based two-factor authentication of fraudulent transactions to be bypassed, without raising the suspicions of the device’s owner,”
Who is affected
The software is so far known only to have affected mobile banking customers in Australia, New Zealand and Turkey, and only those customers who access mobile banking via Android devices, taking advantage of the fact that apps on these devices be installed from anywhere, unlike iPhone users who can only use Apple’s dedicated App Store to download apps.
Big name banks known to be affected include the Bank of New Zealand, Bankwest and Kiwibank, as well as the Bendigo Bank, St George Bank, and US-based Wells Fargo.
If you think you may have been affected, experts suggest heading to the security settings on your phone, then going to device > administrators > Flash Player and clicking deactivate. With that done, users simply need to uninstall the malware app from their phone.
What about the rest of us?
Thankfully, ESET caught wind of the virus before it could spread any further, and customers of other banks in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom should largely be unaffected.
But whilst we may have had a lucky escape this time round, does the Android attack spell the end for mobile banking? Should we all now be deleting our apps and returning the branches?
Despite this, mobile banking continues to grow
Innovations in digital banking, such as those developed by mobile banking specialists Misys, continue to find new ways to thwart security risks, whilst banks themselves continue to push forward in the development of new mobile app features. Back in New Zealand, the country’s Westpac bank became the first in the world to offer a new mobile bank using augmented reality technology, suggesting that retail banks still have every faith in their ability to deliver banking-on-the-go safely.
It’s also worth noting that UK customers are reported to have logged into banking software to move £2.9 billion a week in 2015. Compare such figures with the increasingly low number of reports about security threats to mobile banking, and it’s probably safe to say that money management on the move shows no signs of letting cyber criminals like those responsible for the recent Android attack ruin things for the rest of us.
— Misys (@MisysFS) March 22, 2016


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While the politicians of various parties and (questionable) abilities continue to indulge themselves in half-truths, misinformation and petty spats, elsewhere in London, in the plush offices of West End PR agencies and high-powered law firms, the real battle for Croydon’s future is going on, as strategies and bid documents are prepared for the tug-of-war over the Whitgift Centre.
None of the candidates standing in the November 29 by-election can deliver a £1 billion redevelopment project in central Croydon. But that is what Hammerson and Westfield say they would bring to the borough, together with 5,000 jobs, if their schemes for the shopping centre gets the go-ahead from the council next year.
The next phase of the multi-million-pound beauty contest is on Wednesday night, when Westfield’s PRs are staging what they call a “Telephone Town Hall”. Whoever came up with that zinger of a title probably has no idea of the biased and prejudiced mishandling of Town Hall meetings in Croydon.
Or maybe they do: this hour-long radio phone-in style piece of public engagement is being “hosted” by Nick Ferrari, the LBC shock-jock so beloved of black cab drivers but often a stranger to reasonable discussion.
The main turn during the hour is to be John Burton, the director of development for the Australian shopping mall developers, making himself available to public questions. Just how carefully produced the “programme” proves to be – will the more awkward questioners be carefully excluded behind the scenes? – remains to be seen.
We may be able to judge by timing how long it takes before the dread word “Bradford” is uttered – Westfield’s “development” in the Yorkshire city has left a vast crater hole in the town centre for a decade, a mess that only now is beginning to be cleared up.
In truth, it’s sometimes difficult to discern the real differences between Westfield and Hammerson – a bit like Gavin Barwell and Steve Reed…
Hammerson this month made a presentation to the South Croydon Community Association, where plans that have hitherto been sketchy were offered in more detailed form. They say that they want their scheme to be integrated with Centrale – which they also own and are re-developing – and nearby areas, while also offering to respect and preserve Croydon’s heritage, such as the frontage of the now-closed Allders building, and creating attractive streets and “continental” squares in the town centre. It is almost as if Hammerson is offering a non-mall shopping mall.
Westfield, the operators of the impressive new centre at Stratford, beside the Olympic Park, in slightly concerning Stalinistic style, is offering a five-point plan for Croydon.
It is arguable that at least three of Westfield’s points ought to fall under the aegis of the council, the GLA or government, part of the duties of our elected representatives: “tackling long-term unemployment”; “address Croydon’s housing shortage”; “make Croydon more accessible”. The privatisation of public policy, after two decades of Thatcherism followed by 13 years of a Blairite government, appears all but complete.
Interestingly, Westfield’s manifesto for Croydon offers no ideas for what to do with a retailing sector apparently in terminal decline. Comet, JJB Sports, Clinton Cards, Blacks Leisure, Game, Peacocks… It would be terrible to have a £1 billion shopping mall with no shoppers and no shops.
John Burton said, “We invite all residents of Croydon to dial into our Telephone Town Hall and have the opportunity to listen to our plans and provide feedback.
“Westfield is committed to being part of the Croydon community and we are focussed [sic] on ensuring our plans meet the needs of residents and businesses.”
To participate, residents need to email their phone number to Getinvolved@westfieldcroydon.co.uk. There is no cost to participants as Westfield will call participants directly.
- Recession continues to bite as 7% of London’s shops sit empty
- Collapsing retail sector hits Croydon hardest, say BBC
- Mary Portas, Westfield, Bradford and a £1bn hole in the ground
- Inside Croydon: For comment and analysis about Croydon, from inside Croydon
- Post your comments on this article below. If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at email@example.com
- Croydon’s future centres on a £65m lease decision (standard.co.uk)
- UKIP’s Farage to campaign in Croydon against gay marriage (insidecroydon.com)
- Hammerson fears ringfencing will hit large offices market (telegraph.co.uk)
- UKIP candidate McKenzie fails to deliver his own brothers (insidecroydon.com)


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The Video on Demand (VoD) scene in Africa, and across the world is getting a little crowded and consumer more spoilt for choice. Amazon has just announced that it is availing its Prime Video to over 200 countries around the world.
Time Leslie, VP, International, Prime Video said, “We are excited to announce that starting today, fans around the world have access to Prime Video. The Grand Tour and other critically acclaimed Amazon Original Series like Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, and The Man in the High Castle, along with hundreds of popular Hollywood movies and TV shows are now available at the introductory price of only $2.99 a month. And what’s really exciting is that we are just getting started.”
You can watch Prime Video on your mobile devices both iOS and Android using the Amazon Prime Video app. The app can also be installed in the smart TVs. Alternatively, you can watch it on your computer at PrimeVideo.com.
One advantage users especially those worried about their highly priced metered connection is the app’s option of controlling how much data is consumed while streaming and downloading videos. Users have the option of setting the visual quality from Good, Better, and Best. Good consuming the leased data while Best giving you a richer experience but at higher data consumption rate.
A move similar to what Netflix did at the last CES in Las Vegas. The two are now going to be competing head to head against each other in more markets across the globe. It would be important to note that the BBC and ITV have partnered to launch a new VoD service BritBox.
All African countries have access to the Prime Video at a reduced price of $2.99 per month for the first six months. After the six months, they will have access to the VoD streaming platform at the regular price of $5.99 per month.
Compared to Netflix’s $7.99 for basic, $9.99 for standard, and $11.99 for premium, Amazon’s Prime Video seems like the most affordable option.
For Kenyans, in Addition to Prime Video and Amazon, they have the ShowMax VoD services in their basket charging $3.30 for ShowMax Select and $8.80 for ShowMax premium. YouTube Red is also being rumored to be gearing up to start producing its own exclusive movies and TV series.


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Bethlehem Steel Announces Increase
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) _ Bethlehem Steel Corp. announced Tuesday that it would raise prices for sheet metal from 5 percent to 7 percent on some shipments beginning Jan. 3.
Prices for accounts not fully affected by previous increases of up to 10 percent this year will be raised up to $30 per ton, said Gary Graham, spokesman for the nation’s No. 3 steelmaker.
The company said efforts will be made to minimize both the number and duration of firm price contracts to better respond to changing market conditions and possible increases in the cost of producing steel.


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Join Cosmo & the Y107 Morning Show for IHOP’s National Pancake Day, benefitting Children’s Miracle Network! On Tuesday, March 11, from 7AM to 7PM, IHOP is offering anybody who walks in the door a free short stack of pancakes. You’re encouraged to donate to our local Children’s Miracle Network while you’re there, with all proceeds going to University of Missouri Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
You’ll also have the chance to win tickets to see comic Drew Lynch at the Blue Note April 10th!
In celebration, Cosmo & Lauren will broadcast live from IHOP on Conley in Columbia from 6a-10a. Come by, say hi, eat pancakes and help out a great cause. We’ll see you there!


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Photo: Matt Cardy, Getty
SWANSEA, WALES - NOVEMBER 24: Staff at the Amazon Swansea fulfilment centre process orders as they prepare their busiest time of the year on November 24, 2011 in Swansea, Wales. The 800,000 sq ft fulfilment centre, one the largest of Amazon's six in the UK and the also the world, is gearing up for for both 'Black Friday' and 'Cyber Monday'. Black Friday is traditionally the discount shopping day that follows Thanksgiving in America and signals the start of the Christmas shopping period. In 2010 it is was reported that over 45bn USD was spent by shoppers in America over 'Black Friday' weekend. Cyber Monday, which this year is Monday December 5, and is predicted to be the UK's busiest online shopping day of the year with over 2 million orders expected to be made.
Concern about the decline of brick-and-mortar retail shifted into overdrive over the weekend, with a big New York Times story asking whether the industry had reached a "tipping point." With consumers making more of both their everyday and specialty purchases online, there's a case to be made that coal miners aren't who national politicians should be worried about — it's shelf-stockers and cashiers left out of work as regional malls go dark.


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TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust.
In brief: Samsung has unveiled its new 108MP ISOCELL Bright HMX camera sensor, which it says is the first in the industry to go beyond the 100 million-pixel mark.
Back in May, Samsung introduced the 64-megapixel ISOCELL Bright GW1. Last month, Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi posted an image taken on an unknown handset showing the level of detail this sensor can capture. Additionally, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth Realme showed off some photos taken by its 64MP quad-camera phone, which also uses the GW1 sensor, that can shoot images up to 9,216 x 6,912.
While we're still waiting for a handset with a 64MP camera to release, Samsung has unveiled its ISOCELL Bright HMX, which ups the megapixel count to a massive 108MP. Like the 48MP and 64MP sensors, this latest version is part of Samsung's 0.8-micrometer (μm) image sensor lineup.
The new 1/1.33-inch sensor is another to utilize pixel-merging Tetracell technology, which merges four pixels into one, allowing it to take 27MP photos in low-light environments. It also uses smart ISO technology and can record lossless 6K video (6,016 x 3,384) at 30fps.
Samsung says it worked in close collaboration with Xiaomi during the development of the sensor, adding that mass production will begin later this month. The Chinese company last week announced that it would be releasing a 108MP phone, possibly the Mi Mix 4 or the Mi 10.
"We are very pleased that picture resolutions previously available only in a few top-tier DSLR cameras can now be designed into smartphones," said Lin Bin, co-founder and president of Xiaomi. "As we continue our partnership, we anticipate bringing not only new mobile camera experiences but also a platform through which our users can create unique content."


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By Marcus Leach
Official data released today (Wednesday) have confirmed that the UK economy contracted by 0.3% between October and December 2012.
However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revised their figure for the full year up from showing no growth, to 0.3%.
“In light of recent developments a hold at -0.3% may be viewed by some as a bit of good news for the UK economy," Jeremy Cook, chief economist at foreign exchange company, World First, said.
"A revision to construction sector growth from 0.3% to 0.9% is certainly welcome and goes along with the improving set of sector data we’ve seen since Q3. That said, we cannot shy away from the horrific -1.5% fall in export growth.
“The recent depreciation of the pound is a good thing if you believe that a lower pound will lead to a rebalancing of the UK economy towards export growth. Exports can be made more attractive by pricing, or by simply making products that are so much better than their competitors’ that there is no choice to be made.
“The Bank of England cannot engineer the latter and will instead go with the former of these two options. The problem is that this plan hasn’t worked over the past four years and I would like to know why they think that this time will be any different.”
Join us on


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Dyle, the initiative to incorporate live TV chipsets into mobile devices, is finally in launch mode as of this week. The country’s fifth largest phone carrier, MetroPCS, added to its wide array of options with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S Lightray. This is notable because this is a smartphone that actually has live TV built-in. Will consumers adapt to this new breed of phones with built-in tuners? MetroPCS and Samsung, along with Dyle, are betting on it.
The Samsung Galaxy S Lightray does come at a steeper price. In fact, the smartphone is about $200 more than a comparably priced phone in its feature range. The unit has a built-in extendable antenna for picking up live local TV stations, and the best part is that the shows do not use the phone’s 4G or Wi-Fi; it just picks up channels, free and clear.
As more and more providers clamp down on data and continue to squeeze profits out of smaller chunks of bandwidth with new caps, the Dyle technology allows watching unlimited television around the clock. The handset is based on the Android operating system and features Google Play for downloading apps. Customers launch the app for viewing via Lightray’s application menu and then choose a local station to view. The Dyle website has an interactive map for finding out what stations are available in your area. Just load up the webpage, type in your zip code or let the browser find out where you are via data location, and you’ll be presented with a list of local affiliates broadcasting Dyle-compatible programming in your area.
The actual phone itself is not exactly cutting-edge. It runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which is almost two years old by this point, and the phone works via a 1GHz single core processor. The challenge will be to keep the cost down to incorporate the chips required to pick up local signals. Since the technology could add a few hundred dollars to the final phone price, it makes sense that it will first launch on lower-end smartphones and then be available with this new feature to consumers who want them. If a top-of-the-line phone with all the bells and whistles, and coming in at a premium price, also then adds $200 with the addition of a Dyle receiver, the technology may not get off the ground in the first place.
While Dyle is working for complete U.S. coverage, it doesn’t cover every city currently and is focused first on major cities instead of rural areas. And even in a city-by-city basis, not all network affiliates can broadcast to Dyle devices. But Dyle is certainly in it for the long haul, and this MetroPCS phone could be an important first step.
The question remains, and it could be the elephant in the room: Do consumers want this new technology? It’s an interesting mix of old-school antenna transmission coupled with the latest in mobile TV technology via smartphones and tablets, but ultimately consumers will need to pay a premium to join in. They may not be used to extending an antenna and having to position themselves near a window or go outside (Dyle’s units need good positioning just like any other antenna-based device), but the fact that they can watch network television content all day for free is bound to be a refreshing change.
Dyle will continue to roll out more devices by year’s end, but MetroPCS will be an important test, a test to see if consumers are willing and able to warm up to the bold new era of antenna-based live television on smartphones.
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Smartphones and mobile apps have given consumers a many-in-one replacement for all kinds of products. From digital cameras and GPS units to investment services and beyond, mobile disruption has largely replaced these premium products, services, and solutions with more cost-effective, pocket-sized ones.
This is great news for digital companies and smartphone manufacturers, which are currently reaping the gains of this disruptive marketing strategy. But for many consumer tech brands, this marketing digital disruption poses an imminent threat to their future. The digital camera market is perhaps the best example of how cheaper, convenient mobile technologies can put the squeeze on entire product markets: In a recent interview, the CEO of Canon predicted that the global market for standalone digital cameras might plunge by 50 percent within the next two years.
With such market disruption hitting the premium camera market so hard, brands like Canon and Nikon are rethinking their current marketing strategy and developing content campaigns to leverage their technology and its unique selling points. Here's a look at the strategies these brands are using to fight back against this marketing digital disruption and to tell stories that truly resonate with audiences.
Weaving Consumer Products into Everyday Life
One of the advantages that both Canon and Nikon can leverage in their marketing is the role of cameras in capturing beautiful everyday moments. Although smartphones deserve most of the credit for spawning visual-centric social networks like Instagram and Snapchat, as well as democratizing photography by giving its tools to everyone with a mobile phone, broad participation in photography and video-recording is exactly why these brands shouldn't be sitting back-and why they should be marketing their best-in-class products more than ever before.
Where smartphones offer simplicity and functionality, premium camera brands are able to position their products as storytelling tools that enable brands to become co-creational partners with their buyers. As Marketing Week points out, Canon has pursued this marketing opportunity by shifting its campaigns from product-centric to consumer-centric. Instead of highlighting its products and their specifications, the company's new marketing strategies highlight Canon's ability to help consumers create powerful, interesting stories-and even to chase stories and experiences they would otherwise consider off-limits.
One culmination of this marketing shift is Canon's TV ad campaign, "Live for the Story."
This customer-centric approach mimics the strategy iPhone and other smartphone brands have used to promote their device's cameras to consumers. Instead of getting into the messy details about its product's technical capabilities, iPhone stirred up consumer interest by simply showcasing the high-quality photos its devices could capture from everyday life. Now, Canon is doing the same, and it's helping the brand forge stronger emotional relationships with its target audience.
Selling a Premium Experience
Canon and Nikon may be taking a more emotionally resonant, customer-centric approach to marketing their products, but they aren't giving up on their unique selling proposition as a company delivering premium cameras that offer premium experiences. Both companies still engage in partnerships with bloggers, photographers, and influencers to showcase the capabilities of their cameras, and to gain exposure and brand awareness among professional photographers and videographers, as well as dedicated hobbyists seeking quality equipment.
Canon recently teamed up with YouTube influencer Devin Graham for a campaign which featured a unique, high-quality video of Graham slipping and sliding out of an airplane. According to Digiday, the video-which highlighted the professional-grade capabilities of Canon's cameras-generated more than 300,000 views on YouTube.
Such high-end experiences and production values highlight the distinction between traditional smartphone cameras and the high-end equipment offered by camera tech brands. Meanwhile, these brands are using Instagram to continue highlighting some of the technical attributes of their cameras' capabilities, including the high degree of customization that's possible when using a professional-grade, standalone digital camera.
Note the use of #MyCanonStory on the above Instagram post: While quality and customization are emphasized in the post, the company is making a concerted effort to show consumers how its products can elevate the art of storytelling. In a nutshell, they're saying to consumers: Sure, smartphones are easier and more convenient to use, but can they do this?
Flexing Authenticity and Reaching New Consumers
Fortunately for camera brands, there's no better channel to showcase their product capabilities than through social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. The ability to publish high-quality, engaging content to these platforms gives each brand the ability to reach new and existing customers in fun, engaging ways. In this regard, a story-centric approach to marketing makes far more sense than trying to push products to social users-Why upload boring photos of cameras when you can use puppies to show what they can do?
At the same time, these brands are using social media to emphasize the authenticity of their co-creating capabilities. Nikon's use of the "NikonNoFilter" hashtag was a simple way to categorize their social content, while also creating a broader brand message about the no-enhancements-needed performance of their cameras.
Where other brands might feel the need to showcase authenticity and behind-the-scenes content through their social channels, Canon and Nikon have natural counters to this approach: Since production value is the main selling point for their products, the ability to capture images, videos, and beautiful content without the use of filters is its own form of authenticity. Smartphone users can use edits, filters, and other enhancements to stylize a photo, but these devices can't offer the sheer performance and picture quality of premium cameras.
All combined, this disruptive marketing strategy might ultimately offer a path for these companies to make a comeback with consumers. By making a convincing pitch for the quality, customizations, and authenticity of their standalone cameras, digital camera brands can make the argument that smartphone-only camera users are missing out on bigger and better things. FOMO has always been a big selling point where consumer tech is concerned, but these brands have spent too much time sitting in the shadows while smartphones flaunt their new camera upgrades.
By showcasing their products as part of an approachable, authentic storytelling campaign, Canon and Nikon show they know what it takes to stay relevant in today's world of digital disruption. And marketers in other industries should take note, because the only strategy which works in today's digital-consumed world is one which continuously adapts.
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Featured image attribution: Javmorcas


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Lumi Smart Home Vietnam – The only smart home brand to achieve the TOP 10 Vietnam A-IoT Enterprise Awards 2022
On September 10, 2022, Lumi Vietnam was honored with the TOP 10 ICT Vietnam 2022 award for the "TOP 10 Vietnam A-IoT Enterprises" category. Lumi Vietnam, the only smart home Make
Lumi's new generation of multi-room audio focuses on a personalized experience with simple operation, diverse connectivity, and control, to meet the needs of customers of all
The ability to integrate with devices in the Smart Home ecosystem transforms Lumi's new generation multi-room audio system into an indispensable piece for a new rhythm of life.
Improve your living space with smart and personalized music It would be boring if there was no "presence" of music in the living space. As a result, the multi-room audio
Playing music in all rooms at the same time has become a standard requirement for modern families. Can multi-room audio meet any additional user requirements as devices connect
On the morning of April 27, 2022, Lumi Vietnam held an event to celebrate its 10th anniversary, IoT/Smarthome Vietnam Conference, and announced repositioning. Especially the


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McDonald's Corp. said Monday that a key sales figure rebounded in November, as U.S. customers snapped up the world's biggest hamburger chain's breakfast offerings and limited-time Cheddar Bacon Onion sandwiches.
The increase follows a decline in October, the first drop in McDonald's key monthly sales gauge in nearly a decade.
The company, based in Oak Brook, Ill., said that its global sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 2.4 percent for the month ended Nov. 30. The figure is a key metric because it strips out the impact of newly opened and closed locations.
The figure rose 2.5 percent in the U.S., boosted by popularity of breakfast options, its value menu and limited-time Cheddar Bacon Onion sandwiches.
It rose 1.4 percent in Europe, where it gets 40 percent of its business, as strength in the U.K., Russia and other markets were offset by weakness in Germany.
In the region encompassing Asia, the Middle East and Africa, it edged up 0.6 percent, hurt by results in Japan.
Systemwide sales, which includes sales at all restaurants, rose 3.2 percent.
Results benefited from McDonald's increasing focus on its dollar menu, said Jefferies analyst Andy Barrish, as well as new products, including its Cheddar Bacon Onion sandwiches and $4.99 20-piece Extra Value McNuggets.
But he said the increased price competition within the sector may pressure margins, since cheaper items are less profitable. He kept his “Hold” rating on the stock.
After years of outperforming its rivals, McDonald's has seen sales growth slow as the company faces intensifying competition and an uncertain global economy. Its global revenue at restaurants open at least 13 months fell 1.8 percent in October. The last time it had dropped was in March 2003.
McDonald's has responded by renovating some stores and expanding its value menu and adding other food items to its menu.
Its longtime rivals such as Burger King and Wendy's Co. are reviving their brands with improved menus and new TV ad campaigns. Taco Bell, owned by Yum Brands Inc., is also seeing improved growth sparked by new offerings such as it Doritos Locos Tacos and higher-end Cantina Bell bowls and burritos.
Meanwhile, people are increasingly flocking to restaurants such as Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. and Panera Bread Co.
Shares rose 93 cents, or 1.1 percent, to close at $89.41 – up 7 percent from their 52-week low of $83.31 in November. They traded as high as $102.22 in mid-January.
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Jeep, an iconic American brand of vehicles, recently announced the return of a long-awaited vehicle: the Jeep pickup truck. This new model, expected to be released in 2019, is the first Jeep-brand pickup to be released in nearly 30 years.
The Jeep pickup truck is sure to be a hit with off-road enthusiasts. Its rugged design and all-terrain capability make it an ideal choice for those who want a vehicle that can handle any terrain.
The pickup will feature classic Jeep styling, including the signature seven-slot grille and round headlights. It’s also likely to include a number of modern features and amenities like air conditioning, power windows, and a comfortable interior.
Jeep hasn’t released any details on the name of the new pickup yet, but they have said that it will be part of the Wrangler family. This means that it will likely share many of the same design elements as its SUV cousin, including the iconic boxy shape and off-road capabilities.
The return of a Jeep pickup truck is sure to be exciting for fans of the brand. Its combination of classic styling and modern features make it sure to be a hit with drivers who want a vehicle that can handle any terrain. The only question left is what will this new vehicle be called?
The new Jeep pickup truck has yet to receive an official name from Jeep, but its anticipated arrival has already generated much excitement among off-road enthusiasts and fans of the iconic brand. With its combination of classic styling and modern features, this long-awaited vehicle is sure to be an instant hit when it hits showrooms in 2019.
10 Related Question Answers Found
Jeep is an iconic American brand renowned for its capable off-road vehicles, and the company is now expanding its lineup with a new pickup truck. The all-new Jeep pickup truck will be called the Gladiator, and it’s sure to turn heads with its classic Jeep styling and rugged capabilities. The Gladiator features a rugged exterior design that blends classic Jeep cues with modern touches to create an attractive yet tough-looking vehicle.
The original Jeep pickup truck was the Jeep Gladiator, introduced by Jeep for the 1963 model year. The Gladiator was based on the Wagoneer SUV, but featured an open cargo bed in place of the SUV’s enclosed rear cargo area. The Gladiator was offered as both a two-door and four-door pickup truck, with a variety of trim levels and engine options.
Jeep, the iconic American brand, has recently announced the launch of its new pickup truck. This new Jeep pickup truck has been codenamed Jeep Gladiator. It is expected to make its debut later this year and will be available for purchase in 2020.
A car pickup truck is a type of vehicle that combines the characteristics of a car and those of a pickup truck. The pickup truck features a cab that is open to the bed, which is usually covered by a metal or hard plastic shell or canopy. This type of vehicle provides an ideal combination of utility, cargo capacity, and passenger comfort.
The Jeep pickup truck is an iconic American vehicle with a long and interesting history. It has been around since the 1940s and was originally known as the Willys-Overland Jeep Truck. The Jeep pickup truck was used by the U.S.
Pickup trucks, also known as utes or bakkies, are a type of automobile that are specifically designed to transport goods and materials. They are typically used in the construction, farming, and mining industries. They are ideal for getting the job done quickly and efficiently.
Jeep pickup trucks have been a mainstay in the truck market since the 1940s. The first Jeep pickup truck was the Willys-Overland Jeepster, first produced in 1947. It featured a two-door cab and an open bed for cargo.
Jeep is one of the most iconic names in the automotive world, and the brand is well-known for its rugged off-road vehicles. Yet, what many don’t know is that Jeep also makes pickup trucks. The Jeep pickup truck is a rugged and reliable vehicle that can be used for both work and play.
What Is the Hyundai Pickup Truck Called? Hyundai is a brand that has become synonymous with quality and reliability, and their range of pickup trucks is no exception. The Hyundai pickup truck lineup offers a range of different models, all of which have their own unique appeal.
Jeep has been making pickup trucks since 1947 with the Willys-Overland Jeep Truck. Since then, Jeep has produced some of the most iconic and memorable vehicles in the world. Despite their popularity, many people are still unsure exactly what to call these classic machines.


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Marijuana is illegal in New Zealand, apart from very specific applications for use as medicine in approved forms due to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, but there is a burgeoning legal industry for recreational cannabis globally, in particular countries, a list which seems to be every growing.
Here in New Zealand 14.6% of the population smoke cannabis more than once per year, 60%+ have tried it, over 50% support decriminalization, and 71% medicinal cannabis – the rest of the world is already actually responding to numbers like these.
The social tide has turned, period. People are changing attitudes to cannabis.
The year on year profit for the US’s cannabis industry in 2016 was 6.7 billion. And this is really only two years since Colorado changed its law. If you imagine or factor in law enforcement costs, the small number of states involved – this is an economic boom of nearly unimaginable proportions. If we all had access to this kind of industry, profit and taxes, we could kiss goodbye to the economic crisis, or govt service budget shortages.
Arcview market research predicts that the total US take for legal cannabis in 2020 will be $22 billion, compounding at a rate of 30% per year. And one can only assume, that’s only getting started, given more and more states and countries will be adding their name to the list.
And we are not just talking marijuana sales, or production here. We are talking real estate, biotech, pharmaceutical and govt research, consulting, edible products and more. I have no doubt there will be things like cultivation and specialized business courses developed, and more jobs created there too – more developed products for growing, genetically developed strains, patents on genetics, new medical products (including ones with no psychoactive effect, or enhanced medical properties). Jobs we can’t even predict yet.
Even things like Australians new growing licenses, will generate economies that have significant impact on their country. I read the other day, that a bee keeper had trained his bees to make honey from cannabis pollen.
Already you can get a job as an edibles creator, concentrates processor, glass merchant, courier and delivery, security, reviewer, trimmer, tourism organiser, admin, budtender, regulator, software developer, retail owner, farmer, seed harvester, consultant, medical researcher, specialised doctor and more!
Estimates say that in the US 200,000 jobs were created by 2015. It’s likely to be a lot higher by now. And that’s just from a few states, for a few years.
And the benefits go beyond that – no cops die in enforcement, no taxpayer dollars are wasted, no portions of society are harassed, jailed or prejudiced against with no possible ethical justification – and sick people can access cannabis as a medicine.
Imagination is virtually the limit here, but the future looks good.
And what we find also is heartening – people don’t drink more, on average they drink the same, and society isn’t falling apart. There’s no new class of addicts (as if cannabis were strongly addictive!), and no problems with traffic or drivers. No evil demons were released, no curse released on the world. Pure economic and social benefit. At last, the truth speaks for itself.
Four states already have legalized recreational marijuana – Colorado, Washington, Oregan and Alaska, and a total of 23 states have legalized medical marijuana. A handful of states will likely soon join the first list.
Cannabis is legal in Colombia, Germany (with a license), the Netherlands (for citizens, and it’s partly de facto), Spain (growth and private smoking), Uruguay.
It’s decriminalized in a quite large list of countries, including around half of Australian states and in some of those medical marijuana laws and legal recreational use laws are probably incoming. I would fill far too much space on this page if I tried to list all the de facto, or decriminalized countries in the world!
Australian states where it is decriminalized and people fairly openly grow, smoke and talk about cannabis include the ACT, South Australian and Darwin. I smoked some weed once in South Australia – it was dirt cheap, and everyone talked about it openly.
And no doubt, much more to come in the list of laws changed around cannabis. With so many examples of ‘the new way’ working well, maintaining the attitude that it can’t is truely a thing of the past.
Welcome to the future. See you up by the budtender.


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More people now access the internet via mobile than desktop, study says
In what could be a tipping point for web consumption, a StatCounter study has found that as of October 2016, mobile devices accounted for 51.3% of internet usage worldwide versus 48.7% by desktop. As you would expect, mobile took the lead in emerging markets where people are more likely to have a mobile device as their sole access to the internet. But despite mobile taking the overall lead in October, in developed countries such as the U.S. and U.K. the desktop still accounts for 58% and 55.6% of internet usage, respectively.
A separate forecast predicts nearly 80 percent of internet usage will be mobile by 2018, as well as 60 percent of digital ad spend.
According to a forecast from Zenith, mobile devices will drive 75 percent of global internet usage next year. The agency said that figure will grow to nearly 80 percent by 2018. In addition, mobile advertising will overtake desktop advertising globally next year, according to the forecast. By 2018, 60 percent of internet advertising will be mobile, says Zenith.
The company added that global internet ad expenditures will reach $134 billion in 2018, “more than will be spent on newspaper, magazine, cinema and outdoor advertising put together.”
The IAB reported yesterday that in the US, digital ad revenues were $32.7 billion for the first half of 2016. Mobile advertising was the biggest growth driver, responsible for $15.5 billion, or just under 50 percent.


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Tesla’s battery research team in Canada, led by Jeff Dahn, is on the verge of proving revolutionary battery density through a new, next-gen battery cell. The team released its findings in a new paper, which shows how to combat anode-free cell failure through electrolyte solutions.
The paper is titled “Diagnosing and correcting anode-free cell failure via electrolyte and morphological analysis.” Dahn and his team of researchers at Dalhousie University show that some of the anode-free battery cells that are used tend to store more energy per volume than traditional lithium-ion cells. This is crucial in increasing the range availability of electric cars.
The anode-free batteries also are lighter than traditional cells, according to Hansen Wang, a battery researcher at Stanford University.
“The idea is to only use lithium on the cathode side to reduce weight,” Wang said in an interview with the prestigious school in Northern California.
However, with the increased energy storage capacity, some downsides become present. One fallback is the cells “tend to experience rapid capacity loss and short cycle life,” the paper’s abstract says on Nature. There are also safety issues with anode-free cells that pertain to the metallic lithium that is present within.
Dahn and his team stated that the anode-free cells are capable of an extended lifespan when a dual-salt carbonate electrolyte solution is used to combat the effects of degradation.
The team states:
“Recently, we demonstrated long-lifetime anode-free cells using a dual-salt carbonate electrolyte. Here we characterize the degradation of anode-free cells with this lean (2.6 g Ah−1) liquid electrolyte. We observe deterioration of the pristine lithium morphology using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray tomography, and diagnose the cause as electrolyte degradation and depletion using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and ultrasonic transmission mapping. For the safety characterization tests, we measure the cell temperature during nail penetration.”
When Dahn’s team utilized the dual-salt carbonate electrolyte solution in battery cells, it showed that an inactive mix of dead lithium forms large lithium columns in the cell. This creates an exemplary lithium morphology within the cell, which could solve the issues with a short lifespan.
In the past, Tesla patented an electrolyte solution that could be added to lithium-ion batteries to extend a cell’s lifespan.
The optimized electrolyte successfully extended the lifetime of anode-free cells to 200 total cycles, which is a significant improvement from other findings. For example, the previously mentioned experiment at Stanford University was performed in June 2020. This experiment showed that anode-free battery cells ran 100 cycles before the capacity dropped to 80 percent.
The improvements in battery cell lifespan will eventually lead to longer-lasting cells in electric vehicles. Tesla has been working toward a million-mile capable battery cell for an extended period, which could be unveiled at the company’s Battery Day event on September 22.
Energy density is ultimately the key to more extended range, but there is a fine line between jeopardizing lifespan for more miles per charge. Ultimately, the research with Dahn’s team will continue, and it is a significant advancement in terms of what past research has shown.
The “Diagnosing and correcting anode-free cell failure via electrolyte and morphological analysis” paper is available here.


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Thirty years ago, a plan was shown off to replace the main road running along Oxford Street with a giant flyover.
Unlike the concrete eyesores that were put up in the 1970s such as the Westway and Hammersmith Flyover, this was to be built with pedestrians in mind — indeed, its entire purpose was to permit the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.
Proposed by Bryan Avery — the architect who later designed the refurbished London Transport Museum — the plan was for a three-lane elevated road to run the length of Oxford Street, about 2 stories above the street level.
Underneath would have been paved over and given to pedestrians, with escalators up to the elevated street for bus stops and the like.
The scheme was estimated to cost £47 million (in 1982 prices) and some of the funding would have come from leasing out the new space under the road to smaller shops. Imagine a long line of food and coffee bars. In addition, one of the architect’s trademarks would have been a glass canopy between the road and the shops, effectively turning the entire of Oxford Street into an indoor shopping mall.
The elevated road would have dipped down to street level at Oxford Circus for the interchange, with pedestrians themselves being elevated over the road within a glass dome.
As Byran Avery said, “all the traffic could be accommodated exactly as existing whilst also increasing the pedestrians’ realm dramatically.”
Initially welcomed by both the Oxford Street Association and Westminster Council, following a presentation, concerns were raised about the viability of the scheme.
One of the big arguments against it, apart from cost, was that it didn’t deal with road pollution. The doubts meant that without further financial support, it wasn’t possible to expand the concept into a fully fleshed out proposal, so it remains unbuilt.
Every decade or so, talks emerges of an attempt to pedestrianise Oxford Street.
Back in the 1960s, a report by Professor Sir Colin Buchanan suggested dropping the road slightly into a shallow depression and raising the shopping level up by 20 feet. The report also dismissed its own finding, noting that it was already too late for such a radical rebuilding of the street, and that banning the motor vehicle entirely may be the only solution.
Most recently, it was suggested that a light rail, or tram could replace the traffic congestion on Oxford Street. Previous suggestions have included long travolators along the road, a monorail, or even an elevated walkway along the streets with entrances to the shops on the 2nd floor.
It’s probably a question of when rather than if, the notion of a pedestrianised Oxford Street ceases to be “Unbuilt London”, but what shape it will take is anyone’s guess.
Planning in London, Oct 2012
The Times, Dec 24th 1983
Fragments of Wilderness City, Edwin Heathcote, 2011


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If nothing else, the Covid-19 pandemic is nudging consumers to reconnect with the great outdoors. In the months after worldwide stay-at-home orders started to ease up, more people saw the opportunity to go on socially distanced adventures in the wilderness, whether in trails, parks, meadows or mountains. As a result, while a struggling U.S. footwear industry has tried to fight off escalating tariffs and overall declining consumer demand, hiking and outdoor footwear have become the sector’s true diamonds in the rough.
The trend gained momentum during the summer starting in June, according to Beth Goldstein, executive director, industry analyst, accessories and footwear at NPD Group.
“Hiking really picked up in July, growing more than 15 percent, as summer kicked in and consumers looked to the outdoors for socially distant outings,” Goldstein told Sourcing Journal.
NPD data shows total U.S. footwear sales for July reached $2.3 billion, representing a decline of 16 percent versus the previous July. Among categories, while performance footwear was down 16 percent, leisure declined 3 percent and fashion fell 35 percent, illustrating the hiking and outdoor subset’s solid results.
Plus, the hiking and trail footwear market is poised to grow by $4.1 billion from 2019 to 2023, progressing at a compound annual growth rate of almost 8 percent per year during the forecast period, according to an April Technavio report.
Despite the rosy outlook, some brands are better poised for success than others, experts say.
“The winners are the brands who started two or three years ago or even further back to develop lines that were athleisure and were lifestyle,” said Andy Polk, senior vice president of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA). “The ones who didn’t start that a couple years ago are in a really tight spot right now because it’s not easy to just start up a line and throw it into the market right now. I think it’s extremely hard to start up a new brand in this market and get visibility. There’s still opportunities but I think you have to thread the needle now more than ever in this environment, not just in operations but on your marketing and outreach.”
While it’s harder to execute an outright pivot to outdoor or hiking shoes, the brands that are lucky enough to already have skin in the game have started to see a serious boost in demand, especially when places where traditional athletic sneakers are used have been closed to consumers for months on end.
“You can’t go to the climber gym, you couldn’t go to the yoga studio and your gyms were closed,” said Ashley Williams, global marketing director of Keen. “People are now turning to the outdoors, and people who perhaps never really spent much time actively in the outdoors are now turning to it, because it’s one of the few outlets they have left.”
One such brand that isn’t known for its hiking prowess, Reebok, is one of the bold companies looking to capitalize on the trend further. Better known for its running shoes and athletic apparel, Reebok recently expanded its Zig Kinetica lifestyle collection with the debut of the Zig Kinetica Edge, a “mountain-inspired” outdoor sneaker designed to be worn in the city and on the trail. The shoe includes a water-resistant upper, a midsole featuring the company’s signature Floatride Fuel, bungee cord laces and a trail lug outsole for additional flexibility and traction.
“We have seen fourth-quarter seasonal demand for Zig specifically, so we knew there was an appetite for this type of product,” said Greg Korbas, director of product marketing, tech style at Reebok. “Historically, our Zig tech platform has always done well with trail iterations—there’s something about the way adding a luggy trail outsole to our bold Zig midsole design transforms the overall look of the shoe, it has always been received well. And with the improved functionality of the Zig Energy System, this was a perfect opportunity to update a product offering that has continuously been in the range for the last several years.”
While it is far from the first hiking shoe Reebok has ever released, the Zig Kinetica Edge drop may be a sign of things to come for the brand. The shoe is the first of Reebok’s Battle the Elements collection—an upcoming line created to meet the demands of the consumer’s daily environment in style. Aside from the Zig Kinetica Edge, Reebok hasn’t released any details regarding the other shoes that may be included in this line, or when the next shoe will drop. But the emphasis on “the elements” alludes to the fact that the brand is taking outdoor’s current popularity seriously, and indicates that it sees a growth opportunity in the category.
“From our trend and insights team, we know that the idea of getting outdoors is especially important this season and will continue to trend into next year,” Korbas told Sourcing Journal. “Everyone has been stuck inside because of Covid, so there’s an overwhelming desire to get outside and reconnect with nature and the outdoors. Playing at the intersection of functional tech and disruptive style has been a sweet spot for our brand to deliver newness in the market, and we know there is a consumer demand for this type of product.”
Versatility is key as outdoor meshes with comfort
Jamie Kirby, senior marketing manager at outdoor sandals brand Chaco, noted that the Wolverine Worldwide-owned company has seen two trends emerge. For one, its latest collection—Chillos Slides—is driving a massive increase in new customers, 80 percent of whom have never shopped on Chacos.com before.
“We intentionally positioned Chillos—an ultra-light, ergonomic athletic slide—for lounging, working, and learning from home, or as recovery footwear for post running, workouts, yoga and cycling,” Kirby said. “That message has resonated strongly with consumers who have been staying home or sheltering in place, and we’ve been able to capitalize as a result.”
As far as a second trend, it appears that the movement toward casualization has impacted the sales of outdoor footwear as well, with more shoppers preferring shoes that could pose as either outdoor and hiking shoes or simply something that keeps feet comfortable. As stores started to reopen, Chaco says it saw a large uptick in sales for its flagship Z/Sandal due to its everyday versatility, despite being specifically designed for outdoor exploration. Like many brands that had to come up with new marketing ideas amid the pandemic, Chaco had to make adjustments as well to address shifting shopper preferences.
“Rather than sticking to our typical content, we have shifted our messaging to meet consumers where they are: social distancing outdoors, living an active lifestyle, and mindful relaxation and escapes found in nature,” said Kirby. “These have all been winning propositions.”
Chris Hufnagel, global brand president at one of Wolverine Worldwide’s other major footwear brands, Merrell, reiterated the increased customer engagement and e-commerce boom (the brand saw online sales increase 100 percent in the second quarter), alongside a continued blurring of the lines between outdoor and comfort.
Hufnagel pointed out how the Hydro Moc collection, which typically is for water activities at a beach or lake, “has seen success as an everyday lifestyle shoe suited for comfort and style, and is being fueled by the stay-close-to-home Covid-19 trend.”
Similarly, Keen’s Williams said that versatility is also key for his brand’s success for two reasons: one, athleisure has shown no signs of slowing down; and two, it’s an easier entry point for shoppers who are new to outdoors adventuring.
“It’s less likely that they will go and buy a hike-specific shoe that they can only wear for hiking,” Williams said. “Versatility has been part of the Keen line from day one with the Newport, which is the most versatile product we have as far as the different applications that we can use for it. That’s something that holds true to most of our product—we don’t often define a specific end use, our products are designed to be versatile.”
Brands must pivot to ‘see now, buy now’ releases
The increased demand for outdoor and hiking shoes supports the “see now, buy now” imperative, a lesson brought to the fore during the pandemic. Lowa, a brand offering hiking and backpacking boots and shoes brand, executes same-day shipping on 98 percent of orders. It’s preparing for 2021 and 2022 to deliver product more that customers can wear in season.
“Instead of delivering spring product in March when Minneapolis still has snow and cold, we may not deliver that stuff until April 15 or May 1,” said Peter Sachs, general manager at Lowa Boots LLC. “The same with cold weather boots. Instead of delivering them at Labor Day, we’ll probably deliver them this year more like Columbus Day to Nov. 1. I think that’s okay because by the time the customer’s ready to come shop, the product doesn’t look old. It still looks new and fresh by pushing these delivery seasons back.”
Lowa also shifted its schedule to introduce Spring 21 collections to buyers after the July 4 holiday, so that it could let partner retailers sell more of what they had in excess inventory after their stores open before “badgering them for next year.” Now, when products get finished in development, Lowa (and other footwear brands) don’t exactly have to adhere to same trade show schedules that may have inhibited from taking them to market at any time they want.
Lowa also introduced a reduced version of its new product than they historically do under the theory that dealers would have higher carry over and less sales data.
“We need to be able to pivot immediately, and we need to be able to say, ‘What worked yesterday or last week may not work tomorrow or next week,’” said Sachs. “When customers put demands on us, we really need to listen to them and say, ‘Okay what do we need to adapt to?’ We have to look at these challenges as opportunities. Our lighter-weight products are not our most successful products, but this year it’s given us an opportunity to put those in front of consumers—and it’s working, we’re selling more of them.”
As brands figure out how to pivot their product releases, some may even opt to take a more seasonless approach rather than focus on “see now, buy now,” especially given the way apparel retailers deferred or flat out cancelled collections at the start of the pandemic, pushing back the typical inventory schedule starting. Many held spring collections into the summer and altered the product cadence for the remainder of the year.
“The industry cannot expect to drive significant growth and consumer interest simply with bi-annual product launches,” Barry McGeough, vice president of advanced concepts at Wolverine Worldwide, told Sourcing Journal. “Rather, we have entered the realm of the seasonless cycles. This is a time of heightened importance around delivering insights-driven, consumer-centric drops on a ridiculously regular cadence and providing experience-rich websites that build a loyalty-rich environment and encourage increased engagement and time on-site to drive brand-dedicated transactional behavior.”
Material innovation continues to factor at Muck Boot, Keen, Oboz
Admittedly, one of the Covid-19 pandemic’s biggest impacts within footwear has been the constraint of budgets, forcing many companies to stray away from new materials and tests due to the high costs and risks involved. But while brands may be hesitant to go above and beyond to improve the quality of their footwear, some companies are still putting in the effort to go even further into the materials landscape.
The Original Muck Boot Company is one such footwear provider that is constantly seeking to keep feet warm and dry throughout even the muddiest of hikes, introducing new materials for its Spring 2021 Outscape collection, including a new neoprene upper and an advanced toe and heel outsole protection offering.
The upper, called Muckskin, is a waterproof, vacuum-formed, rubber neoprene that features high-abrasion resistance for a lightweight material. The Outscape also brings a new dimension to the outsole technology, with the Guarden Rubber toe and heel designed to provide excellent durability with self-cleaning outsole lugs for optimal traction.
Tests during product development showed that Muckskin offers a twofold improvement in abrasion resistance while remaining the same weight as the most common upper material on the market.
And Keen is bringing its Bellows Flex technology to its hiking boots in January, enabling the products to bend more easily in flex areas, like the base of the tongue and at the ankle. While Keen’s work boots already feature the tech, it will include the pliable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) insert in the forefoot area of its Tempo Flex and Ridge Flex boots.
The material required less energy to flex during third-party testing, making it easier for the wearer to take a step. When Keen tested against similar boots in the hiking category, the Ridge Flex required 60 percent less energy to bend on average, the company said.
In early August, Oboz Footwear decided to leverage more sustainable materials in releasing its Bozeman Collection, a shoe line inspired by the company’s Bozeman, Mont., headquarters and built for mountain town living with technical trail performance acumen.
The shoes feature the new Bozeman bottom package, with 3.5 millimeter rubber lugs and a supportive TPU heel cup, with Repreve recycled materials comprising the footwear’s laces and webbing. Additionally, the collection has a new O-Fit insole made with a sustainable Bloom Algae Foam biomass. The O-Fit Bloom insoles, released for the fall 2020 season, are molded to match the specific shape and construction of each style they’re placed in, and provide a more sustainable option relative to other insoles without compromising on durability and comfort, the company says.
The Bozeman is available in leather and synthetic styles, and low and mid heights for men and women.
Expect continued sales growth as outdoors trips remain local
The momentum of the summer should continue into a “record” fall and a huge winter, said FDRA’s Polk, unlocking opportunities for brands to find new consumers who may not traditionally have bought their product because they weren’t typically “outdoor people,” especially since they’re likely not going on typical big vacations.
“I think that’s reflected even in the flight out of urban areas to the countryside for all these mortgage applications,” Polk said, alluding to the mass exodus of city dwellers to second homes, or brand-new bucolic dwellings. “If you just look at that, that tells you where the market’s headed, and it’s people wanting to get outside and have space. All those things point to why outdoor brands and lifestyle brands are going to continue to do really well.”
Sachs, of Lowa, agreed with the sentiment that outdoors is going to be an important factor for shoppers for the year ahead, noting a renewed interest in local attractions in times when traveling cross-country simply isn’t an option.
“I’m in Connecticut, and I’m going to hike on trails that are dirt and mud covered, frequently wet, but I have no chance to go hiking in the canyons of Utah, because even if you get there, you have to come home and quarantine for two weeks,” Sachs said. “People will continue to do things, but it’s going to be whatever is local in their region of the country that they can do on days and weekends.”


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(Thanks Tomas who develops Nightstand Weather Clock for the image)
Apple appears to be addressing the “skin apps” controversy by adding another category, ‘explicit’, to the lineup. The category is not yet in the App Store but it is likely a way to keep some of those “racy” apps in the store without disturbing parents and (17 year old) kids.
Apple currently has a 17+ year old category for apps that were before labeled as controversial. Like dictionaries.
First reported by Cult of Mac last night.
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A card offering discounts and
specials at many establishments across the island is now available to members
of the Civil Service Association.
Some discounts are as much as 30
The card, distributed by Ktone Ltd,
was first marketed only to college students. Now that the Civil Service
Association has joined, the card will be distributed to nearly 6,000 people
across the Island on a quarterly basis.
Christian Suckoo, first vice
president of the Civil Service Association, said, “Under the current situation
with the civil service and the economic environment in general, offerings such
as this are greatly appreciated and eagerly accepted.”


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Apple has rolled out new cycling directions for the US midwest regions, including Columbus, Detroit and Chicago.
Cycling directions launched in iOS 14 and offers cyclists several path options if they want to navigate through bikes. Assets in Apple Maps include obstacles, inclines and bike lanes, among others.
The new biking directions are for all of West Virginia and Ohio, as well as parts of Virginia, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. It’s a continuation of ongoing bike direction rollouts on Apple Maps. On April 1st bike paths appeared in the US’ northeastern region.
Apple’s default navigation app continues to improve and come up with new features since it was released in 2012. Just this year the Cupertino-based company expanded in metropolitan Canada and now features 3D landmarks and advanced navigation options.
Apple Maps is being expanded in the UK as well, with teams equipped with cameras touring the cities to collect data.


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CONROE, TX – Grand Central Park continues to add notable retailers to both its City Central commercial district and 336 Marketplace shopping center, including a Living Spaces home furnishings store.
The 150,000-square-foot facility will be situated at 10900 Interstate 45 S. in the Conroe community’s City Central commercial district. Shoppers will enjoy access to an array of furniture and home accents, including celebrity-designed collections such as Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines.
In addition to a showroom, the store will house a Revive Sleep Center, a state-of-the-art design center, a cafe and a kids’ fun room. Living Spaces will open to the public Friday, Nov. 17. The retailer will host an exclusive VIP event 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16. Reservations for the event can be made online at www.livingspaces.com/stores/conroe.
336 Marketplace welcomed a new Petco, 1410 N. Loop 336 W., in October. The pet store offers a selection of pet products as well as services such as professional dog grooming, a convenient vaccination clinic, aquatics department, and obedience classes.
Tropical Smoothie Café is expected to open on Nov. 13 at 215 S Loop 336 W. The fast-casual restaurant features made-to-order smoothies, wraps, flatbreads and quesadillas.
Also set to open at 336 Marketplace next summer is Pediatrix, a leading provider of specialized health care for women, babies and children in the United States.
Alcohol retailer Total Wine & More is slated to open its doors in 2025.
336 Marketplace is located on the southwest corner of I-45 and South Loop 336 in Grand Central Park. City Central encompasses Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marcel Boulevard mixed-use development and the Hyatt Regency Conroe Hotel and Convention Center.
For more information about Grand Central Park, visit www.grandcentralparktx.com.
To read the article online click here.


text: The cannabis industry in the United States is the fastest growing industry over the last few years, and there are currently only nine states in the U.S. that cannabis is fully illegal in. Here at Conifer Insurance, we are extremely familiar with the ins and outs of the industry because of our Cannabis Insurance Program, where we offer coverage for dispensaries and provisioning centers, testing labs, indoor grow facilities, and more. The opportunities for cannabis, hemp and CBD oil businesses to flourish are currently at an all-time high. With our experience and knowledge in the industry, we want to bring attention to some of the leading public cannabis businesses by their revenue and year over year growth. Cannabis companies raised 13.8 billion in funding in 2018, according to cannabis industry research firm Viridian Capital Advisors, and we only see it going up from here.


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The Czech Republic’s problem is the lack of competition and oligopolies controlling most of the food market. Even though the rate of price increase in the Czech Republic has recently been higher than elsewhere, the country still has some of the lowest prices in the European Union, according to agricultural analyst Petr Havel. A few large producers dominate the Czech food market.
The rise in food prices in the Czech Republic over the last two years has been one of the fastest in Europe. Despite price increases, Czech food prices remain among the cheapest in the European Union according to Eurostat, ranking fifth most affordable in the long term. However, the dynamic of food price growth in the country over the past two years has been significantly more pronounced than in other European countries for various reasons. Among these are the country’s higher energy prices, faster wage growth, and the effects of inflation, which have increased the prices of most components for food production.
The lack of market competition is undoubtedly one factor, but historically, it has been determined by betting on industrial agricultural and food production. The options for the antitrust office are limited, as practically no food company or retail network is in a monopoly position according to the law. The problem in the Czech Republic is the existence of oligopolies, the collective influence of several significant food producers or sellers controlling most of the market.
The state’s role in this situation primarily lies in creating conditions to increase competition in all food production and sales articles, i.e., agriculture, food production, and retail. The primary tool for this should be targeted reduction of bureaucracy, especially the one applied in the country beyond the framework of EU legislation.
As for the following year, it will significantly depend on how food production costs develop. The prices of vegetable edible oils and possibly basic types of bread may stagnate or even slightly decrease, as flour prices are currently falling. Also, meat could become cheaper due to lower feed mixture prices, but it is unclear. As previously mentioned, prices of vegetables and fruit are likely to increase at least in the first half of the year due to lower stocks from this year’s production, as there was adverse weather, mainly droughts, and fires, in significant producing countries.


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The wait is finally over. After a year-long delay, the legendary Xbox hero has Master Chief is back. New toys and combat mechanics are coming with Halo Infinite, while many players also benefit from major cosmetic upgrades when playing on the latest Microsoft consoles.
Senior Editor Jessica Conditt played through the single player campaign mode – while we wait for the rest of the game – and it still seems a lot like a Halo experience, for better and worse. Read their full impressions correctly here.
– Mat Smith
Yes, Spider-Man and The Rock are here.
Epic has officially released a trailer detailing what to expect in both Chapter 3 and its first season “Flipped”. The new island is the star, with the reversal of Chapter 2’s finale resulting in a complete overhaul of the landscape that includes chaotic weather. The gameplay changes are arguably more important – you’ll need to rethink your tactics.
The slide and swing mechanics should help characters move (and dodge) faster, while camps will help your squad heal and store items that stick around between games. You can also earn XP beyond battle royale and keep a victory crown if you keep winning – you may mark you as a major threat during the battles.
New characters? Spider-Man should go well with the new swinging mechanic, but you can also play as the Fortnite character from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Foundation, or Marcus and Kait from Gears of War.
Customers couldn’t get any help.
eBay has confirmed that a “small number” of users were accidentally banned on December 3rd. The company did not provide a cause or the extent of the problem, but said it had fixed the bug and notified those affected.
There may have been a significant number of victims. Reddit users devoted a large thread to the bans, noting that there were no potential red flags for at least some of the accounts. People were suspended even if they had excellent buyer and seller histories or hadn’t used eBay in years.
We wouldn’t get too upset.
IKEA has sold a variety of wireless chargers since 2015, but never one that you could use without plugging into an electrical outlet. It looks like that is about to change, with pictures of a new Nordmärke portable Qi charger going online courtesy of some hawk-eyed Reddit users. We also have some details about the device thanks to the German media company mobiFlip, which they received from a reader who bought one in a store in Cologne. It’s not known yet if the charger will appear elsewhere, but with these specs, you probably won’t be missing out on much.
Theft can be difficult to track.
The BitMart crypto exchange lost the equivalent of 196 million US dollars (originally estimated at 150 million US dollars) to a hack. The intruder broke Ethereum and Binance wallets with a flurry of remittances that began around 2:30 p.m. ET on December 4, followed by an exodus of tokens two hours later that included Shiba and USDC.
It’s not clear who was responsible, and the stolen funds have been sent to an Ethereum mixing service that could make it difficult to trace.
While this isn’t the biggest digital heist (the Poly attacker looted $ 610 million in August), Coindesk notes that this is one of the bigger centralized stock market hacks.
The company doesn’t want app makers to mention payment alternatives.
Apple is calling for a judicial review of an August warning from Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service that allows developers to mention alternatives to the App Store’s in-app payment system. FAS gave Apple until September 30 to change its policies, but the company refused to change its rules despite threats of a fine.
The opposition is similar to Apple’s litigation in the US. The judge in Epic’s lawsuit against Apple ordered the tech company to direct App Store developers to other payment systems, but Apple appealed the injunction in hopes of delaying it. The court denied the motion, and Apple will have until December 9 to advise app makers of other options. The company will make exceptions to its policy for some media apps in 2022.
The biggest news you might have missed
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Our country has always been proud of our entrepreneurial spirit. But, great business ideas don’t just come out of college dorm rooms. In fact, “encore entrepreneurs” – people age 44 to 70 – are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States. A 2010 survey by the Kauffman Foundation found Americans age 55 to 64 start new business ventures more often than any other age group, and newer research shows one in four people age 44 to 70 are interested in starting their own business or nonprofit in the next five to ten years.
This is an exciting area, especially considering there are 76 million people over the age of 50 in the United States. That’s why this month, as part of our efforts to make sure small business owners and entrepreneurs have the skills and training they need to succeed, the U.S. Small Business Administration and AARP are teaming up to host National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Month. With a special focus on entrepreneurs over the age of 50, we’ll be matching “encore entrepreneurs” with successful business owners and community leaders for advice and assistance.
Mentor Month provides a range of resources and online tools to entrepreneurs and small business owners over the age of 50. The events connect encore entrepreneurs with mentors, such as those from SBA’s network of Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and SCORE chapters who help with strategies to grow an entrepreneur’s business.
We know this kind of training can be critical for the success of a small business. It can help folks bring their experience, knowledge and skills to a new venture, which creates exciting new opportunities and job creation.
According to a recent AARP survey, 15 percent of workers 45-74 are self-employed. Additionally, 13 percent of those who are current wage and salary workers say they plan to start a business once they retire. Small business ownership is a good option for many baby boomers. Small business owners who get long-term counseling may see increased sales and hire more workers.
Throughout April, SBA district offices, state AARP offices and SBA resource partners will host events around the country. Events include speed mentoring where experienced mentors share information during one-on-one counseling sessions, and workshops with entrepreneurs to discuss best practices from successful small business owners.
Here in eastern Pennsylvania there will be two events:
• The first is a free “Mentor Month Workshop: Pursuing Entrepreneurship After 50” on April 29 from 3 to 4 p.m. the PA CareerLink Bucks County, 1260 Veterans Highway in Bristol with SCORE Bucks County counselors and mentors presenting what you need to know to start a business, a panel discussion and Q&A with guest entrepreneurs and a networking opportunity to meet the speakers and schedule an appointment with SCORE counselors and mentors.
• The second is an “Encore Entrepreneur Brown Bag Lunch & Learn” May 1 st from noon to 1 p.m. at Liberty Place, 313 W. Liberty Street in Lancaster, where you can hear from: SBA, Lancaster SCORE, Community First Fund, Assets Lancaster, Kutztown SBDC and the Lancaster Public Library. To find more events near you, visit www.sba.gov/mentormonth.
SBA’s free online courses at www.sba.gov/encore help encore entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses. And two SBA-hosted webinars in April are for current and potential entrepreneurs. For more information, and to register, visit SBA/AARP Encore Entrepreneurship Webinar Series.
There’s no better time to start a business than today. For Americans, especially those over 50, why not make April the start of the next chapter of your career.